All quotes

The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding.

They conferred, as against the Government, the right to be let alone

the right to be let alone--the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued by civilized men

it is hazardous to discourage thought, hope and imagination; that fear breeds repression; that repression breeds hate; that hate menaces stable government

Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.

I don’t know that she is as amusing as she was when she was a child, but she makes me love her and I like people who make me love them. It saves me so much trouble in making myself love them.

Our destiny in the midst of change will rest on the unchanged character of our people, and on their faith.

Discourse no more of what a good man should be; but be one.

Find your sole delight and recreation in proceeding from one unselfish action to another, with God ever in mind.

In rest you go beyond these limits, and beyond what is enough; but in action you do not fill the measure, and remain well within your powers.

Is pleasure, then, the object of your being, and not action, and the exercise of your powers?

No man can hinder the proper work of the mind.

Observe continually that all things exist in change; and keep this thought ever with you, that Nature loves nothing more than changing what things now are, and making others like them.

Of Severus, my brother, I learned to love my kinsmen, to love truth, to love justice.

Spend, then, the fleeting remnant of your time in a spirit that accords with Nature, and depart contentedly.

the mind can convert and change everything that impedes its activity into matter for its action; hindrance in its work becomes its real help, and every obstruction makes for its progress

Make trial how the life of a good man succeeds with you, the life of one who is content with the lot appointed him by Providence

To me, a man has no master but God. Man in his authority is a sovereign lord.

If you want liberty you yourselves must strike the blow. If you must be free you must become so through your own effort, through your own initiative.

As members of the minority party, we do not have the primary authority to formulate the policy of our government. But we do have the responsibility of rendering constructive criticism, of clarifying issues, of allaying fears by acting as responsible citizens.

The exercise of these rights should not cost one single American citizen his reputation or his right to a livelihood nor should he be in danger of losing his reputation or livelihood merely because he happens to know someone who holds unpopular beliefs.

You must make up your mind to steady and earnest work. You must be content to get on slowly if you only get on thoroughly.

We especially need imagination in science. It is not all mathematics, nor all logic, but it is somewhat beauty and poetry.

He who experiments must, while doing so, divest himself of every preconception.

The fundamental principle of scientific pedagogy must be, indeed, the liberty of the pupil;--such liberty as shall permit a development of individual, spontaneous manifestations of the child's nature.